Welcome to our newest project! GRAFFITI is an expressive series of interviews with our biggest collaborators and clients. We thought it would be interesting to hear about decorative painting from their point of view. Our decorative painting clients include interior designers, floor refinishers, carpenters, furniture designers, fabrication workrooms, and paint manufacturers. Following is the writing on the wall about the art and business of decorative painting from their point of view.
Our first interview is with Wendy Danziger of Danziger Design Group. We began working with Wendy in 2009 for a client whom we recently went back to to paint her kitchen. Wendy’s projects are always a lot of fun to work on. She is enthusiastic and loves to take design risks that pay off. Although Wendy has a signature style, there is a big range that she works with. Traditional, contemporary and historic, Wendy is happy to use custom finishes for architecture, furniture, and floorcloths. We asked Wendy a few questions about why she uses decorative painting and how she feels that differentiates her work. These are her thoughts.
BCS: So Wendy, what do you think custom finishes bring to your projects that you can’t find in off-the-rack designs?
WD: Custom finishes are just that – custom! They can be any pattern/detail/stripe or any size in any color. Custom work at its finest! I can have a client’s wall, or piece of furniture, etc. look exactly the way I would like it and it will look like no other wall or furniture around.
BCS: Are you working on a project now where you’re using custom finishes?
WD: I recently had a 300 year old farmhouse project photographed that used a number of custom finishes throughout the home. This included everything from a hand-painted map on the ceiling of the family room to a hand-painted floor resembling a koi pond in the master bedroom. We also did faux wood grained walls, a light finish on a bed in the master bedroom and hand-painted silhouettes of dogs, horses and jockeys in a powder room.
BCS: Do you include decorative painting in all of your projects?
WD: It depends upon the client. Overall I like to include decorative painting whether it is a wall finish, or a rug, or a painted piece of furniture – in my projects. I think decorative painting gives a uniqueness to my projects and completely personalizes a space.
BCS: Besides decorative painting, what other custom work do you like to include in your projects?
WD: I am a big fan of custom cabinetry. I have a woodworker who is so attentive to detail and simply the best around. The best of both worlds is when I can have him build a piece of furniture and have Billet Collins do the finish on the piece. It’s a win-win for everyone…and again, truly one of a kind.
BCS: Do you feel that using speicalty painting rather than shopping saves you time in the long run? How does specialty painting effect your budget?
WD: Using specialty painting rather than shopping saves time in the long run because if I have a particular thing in mind, Billet Collins can make it happen. I don’t have to search a bunch of sources to find what I’ve got in mind.
BCS: Do you say “faux finish”, “specialty painting” or hand painted finish”?
WD: I think I’ve used all of those terms, but the one we use the most is “decorative painting”.
BCS: Does custom painting work best in a specific style home or does it have more to do with a certain level of design?
WD: I’ve done custom painting in all styles of homes – from traditional, to contemporary, to farmhouse. I really think there is something for everyone. I’ve worked within all different budgets as well. Custom painting works best with clients who have an appreciation for custom painting with an artistic flair.
BCS: What do you look for when you are working with a custom studio (furniture, fabrication, or decorative painting)?
WD: When working with a custom studio I like to work with people who are creative, willing to try new things , and are pleasant to deal with. This combination is the best of all worlds. I enjoy working with artists who welcome collaboration.
Danziger Design is an interior design firm located in Bethesda MD. They were recently awarded Bethesda Magazine’s 2017 Best of Bethesda Reader’s Pick for Best Interior Designer. Danziger specializes in residential interior design ranging from modern contemporary to historic farmhouse style. Her recent online video series “Wednesday’s With Wendy” has met with great success and can be found on Facebook.
www.danzigerdesign.com | www.facebook.com/danzigerdesign | www.instagram.com/danzigerdesign